Page 13 of Escape to Lighthouse Cove

Was it simply because she was embarrassed that he’d had to undress her, he wondered, or was something else going on? Isaiah had said she was from New York. Her clothes were all expensive and designer brands. It was not impossible, and maybe even likely, that their paths had crossed during his time in the city… a prospect that made Noah more than a little uncomfortable.

Did Grace know him from his past life? He thought he would have remembered her, but maybe not. Did she remember him? Had he done something back then, when he knew he’d been unbearably arrogant and often obnoxious, that she hadn’t liked? He hated the thought, but he had to accept that it was at least a possibility.

“I hope you like grilled cheese and tomato soup,” he remarked as he turned to face her. “They’ve always been favorites of mine.”

“There was no need to go to so much trouble,” Grace replied stiffly.

“It’s past suppertime, and you’ve been out in the cold,” Noah replied, keeping his voice mild. Was she going to fight against even this? “I thought you’d be hungry.” He turned to face her with a small smile, while she hung back, looking torn.

“Thank you,” she finally said, with just as much reluctance as she’d shown earlier.What, Noah wondered in exasperation, was going on with her? And why did he care? He’d been living like a hermit for a year and a half. He didn’t need some random woman to like him.

Even if her son reminded him of Jem.

Noah cleared a table by the bookshelves and set their bowls and plates out while Grace watched, one hand holding up the waistband of the sweatpants.

“Sorry those don’t fit very well,” he remarked. “I’m afraid there’s not much here.”

She shook her head, her golden hair tumbling about her shoulders. “It’s all right. You’ve been very generous… about everything.”

His lips twitched. “Something, I can’t help but notice, that seems to annoy you,” he remarked mildly, and she flushed, shooting an uncertain glance at her son, who was still immersed in his game.

“No, not at all,” she said quickly. “I’m… I’m sorry if I seem ungrateful.”

“I’m not looking for gratitude,” Noah replied as he gestured to her to sit down. “I suppose I just wasn’t expecting hostility.”

“I’m sorry,” she said again. She glanced once more at her son, and he decided to leave it for now. Clearly she didn’t want to talk honestly about whatever was bothering her in front of Jacob. Noah watched as she walked over to him, resting one hand on his thin shoulder. “J?” she called gently. “You want to come eat?” she asked softly. After a few seconds, Jacob turned away from the chessboard, sliding his hand into his mother’s as they both came to the table.

Isaiah had said he thought Grace Wyatt and her son were damaged, Noah recalled, and looking at them now, he could believe it. He didn’t think it was just their near-brush with death, although that had surely been frightening enough, that had Grace acting so tenderly and protectively toward her son, or edgy and uncertain with him.

Or why Jacob hadn’t said a single word since Noah had taken him from that rock. Was he just shy and still recovering from their experience, or was his quietness an indication of something deeper? Noah was used to silence; he’d been living alone for eighteen months, after all, and even when he and Jem had been living together, his brother had been far from a talker. Noah would rather someone be quiet than a chatterbox, and yet Jacob’s silence seemed more than just natural shyness.

What, Noah wondered, hadhappenedto Jacob and Grace? Whatever it was, it was likely the reason why they’d escaped to Lighthouse Cove Island, a million miles from anywhere… which, like him, might have been exactly what they’d wanted.

Jacob slipped onto a chair and reached for his spoon, his hair sliding into his eyes as he bent his head toward his meal.

“We really are grateful to you,” Grace murmured, and Noah had the sense that she was trying to speak for her son.

“I don’t need any more thanks,” he told her lightly. “It was what anyone would have done.”

“Still…” she murmured, nibbling her lip. She reached for her own spoon, her gaze lowered.

Noah realized he was intensely curious about her and how she came to be here, and yet he also suspected that Grace Wyatt would not welcome many—or even any—questions. And he knew he had to respect that, because he wouldn’t welcome any, either.

So they ate in silence, which felt a little strange but also surprisingly companionable, considering her earlier animosity, the only sound the crackle of the fire as the logs settled into the grate with a shower of sparks.

Having had only a few spoonfuls of soup and a nibble of her grilled cheese, Grace glanced up at him with wide eyes. “Do you live here all year round?” she asked, and Noah jerked back a little, because it seemedshewas okay with asking questions, if maybe not answering them.

“I do now,” he replied, and then realized that answer revealed more than he’d wanted it to. It had been a long time since he’d had to interact with anyone besides Isaiah.

Grace nodded, her soft gray gaze sweeping over him slowly, but she didn’t ask any more questions, and weirdly, Noah was almost disappointed. He really didn’t want to go into the details of his private life, but some small part of him had still welcomed her interest. Maybe hewasa little lonely, the way Isaiah seemed to think.

A soft knock sounded on the door, and then it opened and Isaiah himself slipped into the room, his expression impassive although Noah thought he saw a gleam of speculative interest in the caretaker’s eyes. No doubt he was pleased Noah had some company.

“Isaiah…” Grace said, sounding surprised to see him there, and he gave her a small, swift smile before turning to Noah.

“The doctor has arrived.”

“That was fast,” Noah remarked. He glanced at Grace. “He had to come all the way from Eastport.”